Talk your way to more savings at the grocery store

WASHINGTON – Coupon clipping or finding deals on a smartphone can save cash at the grocery store, but talking to the right people at the store could also save a bundle.

One of the best moves is to talk to a store manager, Bankrate.com reports. Managers can clue shoppers into juicy money-saving secrets like when clearance items are marked down and where they are located, store reward cards and coupon policies.

When talking to a manager, make sure to ask if the store offers customer loyalty programs. Perks of reward cards include:

Gaining gas points

Earning extra savings

Alerting shoppers to unadvertised specials

Stores differ on their coupon policies, so make sure to ask the manager questions such as:

Do you accept expired coupons?

Do you accept coupons from other stores?

Can I use multiple coupons?

Shoppers can also save money when buying deli meat. Annette Economides, a member of America’s Cheapest Family, suggests buying whole cooked ham, turkey breast or roast beef and ask the deli to slice the meat. The Economides say purchasing meat from the deli can save more than 50 percent over brand-name meats.

Check out more saving secrets from stores:

CVS sends emails notifying shoppers of unadvertised specials.

Whole Foods, CVS and Target offer a reusable bag rebate.

Target’s mobile coupon program allows coupons to be scanned from smartphones.